The Pittsburgh Press (November 5, 1941)
Navy loses 106 in sea action in two weeks
1 ship sunk, 2 damaged in U-boat attacks on convoys
By Richard C. Hottelet, United Press staff writer
Washington, Nov. 5 –
The Navy’s losses in action in the Battle of the Atlantic today stood officially at 106 officers and men killed, more than 18 injured, one destroyer sunk, one naval tanker and one destroyer seriously damaged.
These losses were suffered in two weeks, Oct. 16-31, in convoys on the sealanes off Iceland. German submarines, hunting in packs, stalked the convoys carrying precious war materials to Britain as well as supplies to the American base at Iceland, and in the dead of night torpedoed and sank the 1000-ton destroyer Reuben James and seriously damaged the destroyer Kearny and the naval tanker Salinas.
The Navy’s statement that the Salinas was hit one day before the Reuben James was sunk indicated that one battle of a submarine “wolfpack” against the convoys lasted at least two days.
The Navy said the World War I-type destroyer Reuben James was blown literally in two by a torpedo which presumably exploded the ship’s magazine. This would account for the large number of casualties, 95 out of a complement of 142.
The darkness of the night, the icy waters of the North Atlantic not far south of the Arctic circle, and the general confusion that reigns when an attacked convoy scatters and the escorting destroyers race back and forth in search of the submarines made the rescue of the survivors most difficult. No details have been released as to how this was accomplished.